Display head



y 7, 1965 V. H. DORAN 3,197,093

DISPLAY HEAD Filed May 8, 1964 INVENTOR. VEQNA H. Do/eAN United States Patent 3,197,093 DESYLAY I-EAD Verna H. Doran, 524 Via Almar, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. Filed May 8, 1964, Ser. No. 365,923 8 Claims. (Cl. 22366) This invention pertains to a device that simulates the appearance of a human head, used for display purposes and as a support for associated elements.

While the device of this invention is of general utility as a mannequin head, it is especially adapted for holding and displaying wigs. In general, the device of this invention is in two parts, assembled to complete the appearance of the head. One section is of fused foam plastic pellets and constitutes a base for the head, as well as defining the contour for the rear section of the head. The other portion of the unit is made from a thin sheet of plastic, such as high impact styrene, vacuum-molded to the contour of the face. Assembly is accomplished by mating the edge of the face portion with the rear head support part, and wrapping flaps below the face section around the base to both provide the attachment and define the neck for the head. When a wig is associated with this device, the rear support portion is covered up, and only the realistic molded face and neck are in view. The result is a unit that is of low cost and economical construction, yet which is of particularly lifelike appearance.

The attractive face and realistic neckline that the display head presents make it ideal for displaying wigs in sales promotion. It is easier to judge the ultimate appearance of the Wig as worn if it is displayed on the head of this invention, plus the fact that the attractive display of the wig gives it more sales appeal. This is only one of the advantages of this invention, however. When the wigs are completed, the hair of the wig must be dressed to a particular hair style, and frequently it should be dyed or otherwise treated. With this invention, the wig with the hair wet is placed over the display head and held in place by pins inserted into the rear support portion.

The fused foam plastic pellets that make up the rear por- 7 tion of the head readily accept the pins so that it is a simple matter to press the pins into the mannequin head. At the same time, there is appreciable thickness to the rear head portion so that the pins are retained by the display head support and will not come loose or wobble. Thus, the wig can be held securely in place. With the wet wig positioned on the mannequin head, it is dressed and treated as desired to provide a suitable hair style. No harm will befall the mannequin head during this operation because it is made of plastic and impervious to liquids as well as being chemically inert. Upon subsequent drying of the wig on the mannequin head, the entire unit is then ready for display in the sales room. Moreover, when the wig i purchased, frequently it is preferred to include the display head with the wig so that the customer has an appropriate and attractive arrangement for storing the wig when it is not in use.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved mannequin display head.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved arrangement for the completion, treatment, display and storage of Wigs.

A further object of this invention is to provide a display head of simple and low cost construction.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a mannequin head having realistic appearance.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a display head which will not be harmed by water or chemicals such as may be used in the treatment of hair, and which will accept pins or the like used in securing a wig to it.

3,197fih3 Patented July 27, 1965 These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the display head of this invention as used in holding a wig;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the components of the arrangement of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the display head;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the connection of the front portion of the unit to the rear support portion thereof, and the manner in which a pin fits through the display head; and

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3, illustrating the manner in which the neck portion is assembled.

With reference to the drawing, the display head of this invention is made up of two components, these being a rear support portion 10 and a front face element 11. They are assembled together to provide a completed unit, simulating the appearance of a human head and utilized in displaying a wig 12 or other item as desired.

The rear support portion 16 of the unit preferably is constructed of foam plastic. Particularly suitable is construction from fused expanded foam plastic pellets. These pellets normally are made of polystyrene incorporating an expansion agent. When introduced into a mold and subjected to heat, they will expand to fill the mold and become fused together. The rear portion 16 of the device of this invention may be constructed in such a mold from this material.

The portion 19 of the invention includes bottom circular disc 13 that serves as the support for the display head. Above this, there extends vertically a substantially cylindrical section 14 to hold the rear head part and to act as a backing for the neck portion of the completed mannequin head. Some material may be conserved by providing an axial opening 15 extending inwardly from the base 13 into the cylindrical section 14.

Above the portion 14 is a hollow shell 16. This has an appreciable wall thickness, typically being in the neighborhood of one-half inch thick. The outer surface 17 of the shell part of the head section 10 defines a contour corresponding to the back skull shape of a human head. The shell 16 terminates along an edge 18, which is nearly vertical but inclines slightly to the rear and corresponds roughly to the vertical midportion of a head. Projecting forwardly from the shell 16 beyond the edge 18 and above the cylindrical portion 14 is a'rounded section 19.

As a result of this construction, the rear portion 10 of the unit is a lightweight free-standing eelment made of low cost materials that provide it with considerable rigidity.

The face portion 11 of the display head of this invention is vacuum molded from flexible plastic such as high impact polystyrene. It includes a section 21 defining the mouth, nose and eyes of a human face, above which is the beginning of the hairline 22. Beneath the chin 23 is the neck portion 24. The latter section includes a central rounded part 25 from which laterally project side flaps 26 and 27.

The member 11 may be made of quite thin material, having even lesser thickness than that indicated in the drawing, which has been exaggerated for purposes of illustration. Normally, the plastic making up the front portion 11 will be pigmented to provide a flesh color. The member 11 has a smooth and uninterrupted surface appearance, unlike the member 10 where the individual plastic pellets are discernible. Upon completion, the lips, eyes and eyebrows may be given additional color to enhance the realism of the face.

Upon assembly of the unit, the forward portion .11 is mated with the rear support by fitting the rearward edge 29 of the forward portion 11 over the edge 18 of the support 10. Preferably, there is a slight ridge or shoulder inwardly of the edge 18 of the support unit 19 to provide a ready means for matching the two members and properly locating the edge 29 of the section 11 with respect to the support (see FIGURE 4). When the sections 10 and 11 are fitted together in'this manner, the inner part of the chin portion 23 of the face fits beneath the forward extension 19 of the member 10. Also, the central part 25 of the neck 24 will be brought into complementary engagement with the forward part of the substantially cylindrical portion 14 of the support 10. At this time, the side flaps 26 and 27 are wrapped around the section 14, as best illustrated in FIGURE 5. They will overlap slightly at the rear, where they are cemented in place or otherwise secured. Of course, flexibility of the member 11 is essential in order to permit the flaps 26 and 27 to be wrapped about the support section 14 in this manner. .A secure attachment is effected between the members it and 11 despite the fact that there is. a cemented joint only at the rear of the neck. Even in the absence of a cemented connection between the members 10 and 11, they will be permanently joined once the flaps 26 and 27 have been fastened together. The contour. of the member 10 above andbelow the cylindrical part 14 will prevent any relative movement between the members 10 and 11 when the flaps 26 and 27 are joined- With the display head completed in this manner, the wig 12 may be positioned over it in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. The edge of the-wig will cover the edge 29 of the forward portion 11 of the display head, as well as being superimposed over the exposed surface 17 of the foam plastic shell 16. At the bottom, the neck is defined by the central section 24 and the side flaps 26 and 27 that are wrapped around the cylindrical part 14. Hence, the neck is completelyrealistic, being rounded similarly to a human neck and with the only seam present at the back of the unit, which is partially concealed by the hair and which, of course, normally is not on view. Thus, the unit provides a lifelike appearance when completed and the .wig is in place. This is despite the fact that it is of two-piece construction, only the forward portion of which is decorated. At the. same time, the unit is supported on the base disc 13 so that it will remain upright and, by being of plastic and hollow in its interior, it is light in weight and easily moved about. Despite the fact that the front portion 11 is of very thin plastic and quite bendable, the rigid rear portion 10 imparts fully adequate strength to the completed unit. It should be noted that the free edge 29 of the flexible front portion 11 is entirely supported by the rigid edge 18 of the member 10. Added support comes from the association of the neck area 24 with'the portion 14 of the base. Hence, despite the flexibility of the material of the section 11, there is no tendency for the portion 11 to become distorted even during rough handling of the completed mannequin head of this invention.

The wig 12 may be secured in place on the display head by utilizing pins 31 in any desired number. These pins are readily forced through the wall of the shell 16 of the base 10 by virtue of the construction of that portion of the invention from foam plastic. Nevertheless, the relatively thick wall of the body 10 provides a means to anchor the pins so that they will remain in place and are frictionally held. The pins will not wobble or tend to come out. Hence, the wig 12 may be secured to the base 10 by the pins 31 so that the wig is removably held in place. i

In typical use of the arrangement of this invention, a wig requiring dressing of the hair is positioned on the mannequin head. The wig will be wet when placed over the head and pinned in place. Moisture or chemicals present will not harm the display head which is made out of relatively inert plastic. The unit provides a convenient support for dressing the hair and otherwise treating the wig. Then, the assembled unit can be placed under a dryer, after which it is ready for display. When a sale is made, the mannequin head may accompany the wig to provide the purchaserwith a convenient and attractive means for storing the wig when not in use.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A display head comprising a first member, and a second member,

said first member being of relatively thick substantially rigid material,

said first member having a base, an upstanding support portion extending upwardly from said base,

and a shell carried by said support portion above said base,

said shell defining substantially the contour of the rear portion of a human head, said second member being of relatively thin material and having a top part defining the forward portion of a human head,

the edges of said top part of said first member and of said shell of said second member being connected,

whereby said first and second members define the contour of a head, said first member having a bottom part providing flaps, said flaps being extended around said support portion toward the rear of the head defined by said members for providing a neck for said head. 2. A device as recited in claim 1 in which said material of said first member is adapted to receive pins therein for permitting a wig or the like to be attached thereto. 3. A display head comprising a first member, and a second member,

said first member being of relatively rigid material and defining a base,

a shell above said base having substantially the contour of the rear portion of a human head,

said shell having a forward edge, and a support section intermediate said base and said shell, said second member being relatively more flexible than said first member, said second member having an upper portion defining the forward contour of a human head, said upper portion of said second member having a rearward edge portion connected to the forward edge portion of said shell,

said second member having a bottom portion wrapped around said support section of said first member to define the appearance of a neck,

4. A device as recited in claim 3 in which said first member is constructed off used expanded foam plastic pellets. 5. A mannequin head comprising a first member of substantially rigid foam plastic material,

said first member having a base, a substantially cylindrical portion extending upwardly from said base,

5 and a hollow shell above said substantially cylindrical portion,

said hollow shell defining the rearward portion of a human head, said second member being of relatively thin fie):-

ible plastic defining the forward portion of a human head,

said second member having a rearward edge overlapping and complementarily engaging said first member at said forward edge of said first member, said second member having a bottom portion around said cylindrical portion to define the appearance of a neck,

said bottom portion having a central arcuate part, and a duality of flaps projecting outwardly from said central arcuate part, said flaps being wrapped around said subsubstantially cylindrical portion and secured thereto in simulating the appearance of a neck. 6. A mannequin head comprising a first member and a second member,

said first member being of relatively thick substantially rigid foam plastic material,

said first member having a base adapted to act as a support,

a substantially cylindrical portion extending 5 said portion of said second member having a rearward edge,

said rearward edge of said second member being associated with said forward edge of said first member, said second member having a neck portion beneath said face portion thereof,

said neck portion circumscribing said substantially cylindrical portion of said first member,

and including a duality of fiaps secured at the rearward portion of said substantially cylindrical portion, whereby said first and second members are adapted to receive a wig covering said edges of said members, and said neck provides a realistic simulation of a human neck. 7. A device as recited in claim 6 in which said rearward edge of said second member overlaps said forward edge of saidfirst member,

whereby said first member provides peripheral support for said rearward edge of said second member. 8. A device as recited in claim '7 in which adjacent and inwardly of said forward edge of said first member there is provided a shoulder,

said rearward edge of said first member being adjacent said shoulder for thereby accurately positioning said second member with respect to said first member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,509 2/20 Dane et a1 461 64 2,263,720 11/41 De Carlo 46-164 2,307,523 1/43 Maisel 46-164 2,836,929 6/58 Weih 46-162 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 197, 093 Dated July 25, 1965 Inventor(S) V- H. Doran It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 67 (line 2 of C1aim4), "off used" should read ---of fused---.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of January 1975 (SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A DISPLAY HEAD COMPRISING A FIRST MEMBER, AND A SECOND MEMBER, SAID FIRST MEMBER BEING OF RELATIVELY THICK SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID MATERIAL, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A BASE, AN UPSTANDING SUPPORT PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE, AND A SHELL CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT PORTION ABOVE SAID BASE, SAID SHELL DEFINING SUBSTANTIALLY THE CONTOUR OF THE REAR PORTION OF A HUMAN HEAD, SAID SECOND MEMBER BEING OF RELATIVELY THIN MATERIAL AND HAVING A TOP PART DEFINING THE FORWARD PORTION OF A HUMAN HEAD, THE EDGES OF SAID TOP PART OF SAID FIRST MEMBER AND OF SAID SHELL OF SAID SECOND MEMBER BEING CONNECTED, WHEREBY SAID FIRST AND SECODN MEMBERS DEFINE THE CONTOUR OF A HEAD, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM PART PROVIDING FLAPS, SAID FLAPS BEING EXTENDED AROUND SAID SUPPORT PORTION TOWARD THE REAR OF THE HEAD DEFINED BY SAID MEMBERS FOR PROVIDING A NECK FOR SAID HEAD. 